Mando POV

I clenched my teeth as I read the message. It said:

'It's time to be a Mandalorian again. The galaxy needs your help. We'll arrive in two months morning. Please come home, we need you again. - Cara Dune'

I crumpled the paper and tossed it into the trash can.

" What was that?"

I whipped around in shock to see Aiko standing quietly behind me.

" Nothing Aiko, go back to sleep or something."

I couldn't see it but I could just tell that she was raising a hidden eyebrow.

" It's 4:30, dinner hasn't even been served yet."

I grunted in response. She left the room and I opened the box. I took in a sharp breath at the small object before me. Gingerly I carefully and slowly took it out of the box. It was a silver ball from a lever on my old ship, the Razor Crest. It was tarnished with age but I could still make out the faint fingerprints, claw prints? That Grogu had imprinted on it. I pocketed it and left the room. A few minutes later, a message for the farmland arrived.

Dear Kurokawa,

I am happy to say that your request has been verified and accepted. Your plot is #2569, directly behind the hotels on main st. It should be ready to claim any time.

Sincerely, those at Miko's Produce Palace.

Well, at least one good thing had happened today.

THE NEXT DAY...

That night I couldn't sleep. I ended up sitting outside the hotel until dawn peeked over the lush forest and rolling hills. Aiko obviously hadn't been sleeping either. She had become more reserved and secretive since their mother died since Saikari died. I wondered how my old… friends… had found me. I had made sure to keep myself hidden and unknown to all but the residents of this world. I knew that I couldn't return to my old life, not after all that I had created here. All I knew was that I needed to find some work before Aiko and Okia both suffered. I sat there musing over my bad luck until I became aware of a rather irritating SLURPING noise coming from behind me. Whirling around, my heart pounding, I felt a vein bulge in my forehead when I saw Aiko slurping water rather noisily out of a large swirly straw.

" AIKO! What the heck! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

I asked angrily. She gave me a piercing look through that blindfold of hers and merely shrugged before continuing to slurp up water. I stared at her incredulously for about 20 minutes until she chucked the glass onto the floor, shattering it in the process. Shocked, I stared at her, she was trembling as she leaned against the counter, strange sounds came from her until I realized that she was crying. Standing, I placed my hand on her back, feeling her flinch almost instantly. When she finally is finished, she steps away from me, tensing instinctively. Aiko turns away and leaves er 'room', leaving me alone to mull over my choices. If I accepted and returned to the galaxy that I had thought I had abandoned long ago, how would it affect my family? I now realized why most Mandalorians avoided starting a family or even forming close bonds. Having a bond like this would hinder the mission. These bonds would only cause more choices and liabilities. I slumped, giving in to my exhaustion. I removed the small metal ball from out of my pocket and held it close. I could almost see Grogu's smiling face, his coos of content soft and happy. I couldn't bear the weight of the pain. I should have never left him, I should have stayed so that he wouldn't feel so alone. In the end, I had abandoned him. Given him up to the first random 'Jedi' that showed up. As I mused over my circumstances, a bright piercing glare of light appeared on the horizon. The moment I saw it, I remembered what I had been worrying about in the first place. Standing, I left our temporary home to our new plot of land, hoping and praying that they wouldn't find us.